A chance to study in the land of the Kiwis
IN its ongoing effort to make New Zealand an attractive educational destination for Indian students, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) in collaboration with Education New Zealand organised its 8th round of the New Zealand Education Fair in New Delhi. In all, 25 institutes including leading universities, governmentfunded polytechnics and private technical education providers participated in the fair.
Speaking on the occasion, Paul Vaughan, trade commissioner (South Asia), New Zealand, said: "New Zealand as an education destination is witnessing tremendous growth and the past year saw a gigantic leap in student visa applications. In comparison to earlier years, this year we witnessed a
133% increase in the number of student visa applications from India."
What sets the country apart, he said, is its scenic location and the opportunity to apply for permanent residency. The country for long has had a free trade agreement with Australia, wherein citizens of either can move freely between the two countries. "Considering Australia is a larger economy many of our youth go to Australia and settle there, which is why it is easier for people to apply for permanent residency in New Zealand," explained Vaughan. The country grants students a one-year job search visa upon completion of their studies, regardless of which course they do. Once they get a job, they can apply for two-year work visa, following which they can apply for permanent residency.
According to Vaughan, another key factor for the rise in applications from India has been the increasing awareness about New Zealand's study programmes, which are based on UK's education system. Besides, as he pointed out: "The cost of studying and living in New Zealand compares favourably with most other countries."
Highlighting common trends in applications, Vaughan added: "Most students apply for our business, IT, engineering, hospitality and marine courses. And till recently, many were also looking to obtain their commercial pilot licence (CPL) from New Zealand, which has reduced following the decline in job opportunities in India. However, we continue to attract a multitude
of applicants for nursing programmes, especially form Kerala."
Besides, the Indian cricket team will also be touring New Zealand in March 2009. Elaborating on the same, Vaughan stated: "We are planning to sponsor two bloggers to come to New Zealand during that time. Not only will they get to see the cricket matches, they would also get to experience the country and its people first-hand."
Sunil Sharma
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